Best Bus Driver of the Year 2011

 

On 2 June this year at the Serdica Bus Station was held the 5th national championship “Best Bus driver of the year”, organized by the Avtobusi & Microbusi magazine and the Federation for Passenger Transport. The event coincided with the 6th anniversary from the creation of the magazine. 11 bus drivers from all over Bulgaria took part in the competition. For the first time there were also drivers from Skopie, Macedonia. Also, for the first time a woman driver dared to join the race. And, to our surprise, not from Bulgaria, but from our neighbours from Macedonia. All the participants received presents from our main sponsor – Lubrifilt Ltd, as well as from Federal Mogul, VDL Bus Center, Rudi 96, EuroRally, MotoTop, EuroPart, and the Bulgarian Red Cross.Our guests were also representatives of the city transport in Skopie – JCP Skopie, the Bulgarian representative of the VDL Bus Center – Mr. Jeno Nagy, the trade agent for Eastern Bulgaria of VDL Bus Center – Mr. Miroslav Nikolov, our special guest from Holland – Mr. Guido Brugeman, chief consultant on many European projects, teachers and students from the Professional Transport High Schools in Sofia and Vinogradetz, as well as deputies of many bus companies and media.

The following bus drivers were participants in the competition:

Vanyo Nedelchev – Hebros Bus Ltd.
Sevdalin Dukov – Hebros Bus Ltd.
Ivan Georgiev – Hebros Bus Ltd.
Stoyo Kalchev – Hebros Bus Ltd.
Valentin Kolarov – Vakancia Ltd.
Atanas Panayotov – City Transport Plovdiv
Nikolai Velichkov – City Transport Plovdiv
Metodi Yanev – Global Biomet
Anguel Milanov – Union Ivkoni
Goran Gorgievski – JCP Skopie
Vesna Naidoska – JCП Skopie

  According to our tradition, right after the opening of the competition, a test exam was held with 60 multiple choice questions, stressing on the rules and standards for safe driving, knowledge of the new European regulations for work and rest of the bus crews according to Rule 561/2006 and the Appendix to the European Agreement AETR, rules during dayly, weekly, forthnightly driving and resting times, transport services of passengers of the organized “casual” type, using a tachograph, documents needed in the different types of travel, main technical knowledge of the bus, first aid after an accident etc. The test was developed with the kind cooperation of the Ministry of Transport, “Road Safety” department, and the Bulgarian Red Cross.

Theory Test Positions:

1st place – Vanyo Nedelchev, Hebros Bus Ltd., Plovdiv, 48 correct answers.
2nd place – Sevdalin Dukov, Hebros Bus Ltd., Plovdiv, 47 correct answers
3rd place – Atanas Panayotov, City Transport Plovdiv, 43 correct answers

 

 The practical exam was held after a short rest, aiming to prove the practical and professional skills with a city low-floor bus VDL BERKHOF AMBASSADOR 200, specially arriving from the purpose from the Netherlands and conceded to us with the kind cooperation of VDL Bus Center. The accent here was on the loading of a tachograph, professional driving, fast maneuvers and reactions, practical exercises – skilful passing through arranged road cones on front and rear gear shift, and correct parking. 

Practical Test Positions:

1st place – Nikolai Velichkov, City Transport Plovdiv, for 1.16 min.

2nd place – Sevdalin Dukov, Hebros Bus, Plovdiv, for 1.19 min.

3rd place – Anguel Milanov – Union Ivkoni, for 1.23 min.

The last challenge for the contestants was the practical exam for giving First Aid medical help organized with the cooperation of the Bulgarian Red Cross. 

Medical First Aid help – Positions:

1st place – Vanyo Nedelchev, Hebros Bus Ltd., Plovdiv, AND Anguel Milanov – Union Ivkoni, with 10 points each.
2nd place – Sevdalin Dukov, Hebros Bus, Plovdiv, AND Vesna Naidoska, JCP Skopie, AND Atanas Panayotov, City Transport Plovdiv, with 9 points each.
3rd place – Metodi Yanev, Global Biomet, with 8 points.

 

At the end of the competition during the organized cocktail, were announced the three final winners:

FINAL POSITIONS:

1st place – Sevdalin Dukov, Hebros Bus, Plovdiv – with a total score of  66 points.
2nd place – Vanyo Nedelchev, Hebros Bus, Plovdiv – with a total score of 63 points.
Vesna Naidoska, JCP Skopie – with a total score of 63 points
3rd place – Atanas Panayotov, City Transport Plovdiv – with a total score of 59 points.